During £9m Heritage Lottery funded works to Clissold Park contractors disregard for trees led to rubble being piled up under the Dawn Redwoods next to the pond.  In addition to compacting soil, damaging tree roots in breach of regulations for managing trees on construction sites (BS5837) this led to direct damage to the tree as the rubble was removed.  This 20cm gash to the tree's bark was probably caused by machinery moving rubble piled close to the tree.  This is precisely why all trees should be fenced and protected during construction works as per the relevant British Standard (BS5837).  However this is never done in Hackney and so even in the borough's most prestigious park trees are regularly damaged whilst vast sums of public money are squandered on contractors and consultants who are paid to know better.

The bark damage is like a cut to our skin.  It creates the opportunity for fungi and bacteria to infect the tree.  Many trees in Clissold are dead or dying because of this sort of bark damage.